I love pasta – it’s hearty and comforting but can also be elevated to something extraordinary. And this aromatic pasta alla Norma (aka tomato and eggplant pasta) will be the perfect addition to your mid-week meal rotation. I’ve made it with roasted eggplants to avoid the messy oil-heavy frying process. The result is an easy and delicious vegetarian meal the whole family will love.
Watch how to make it
How to make pasta alla norma
Cook the eggplant: First, clean and dice the eggplant into around 1-inch pieces. Then drizzle with oil and toss well to coat the pieces (in a bowl or straight on a parchment-lined baking sheet). Place the eggplant pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in an air fryer basket, then roast them (check my detailed guide on cooking eggplant).
In the Oven: Bake for 25-35 minutes in a preheated oven at 400ºF/200ºC, flipping once halfway. In the Air fryer: Cook for 15-20 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC, flipping once halfway (or at least shake the basket).
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, as the eggplant cooks, cook the rigatoni pasta according to the pasta instructions. I like to undercook it by 2-3 minutes as it will cook further when combined with the sauce. That way, you can avoid over-done pasta. Once cooked, drain the pasta but save some pasta water (about 1 cup). This will help the sauce to adhere to the pasta better and create a silkier mouth-feel to the dish. Make the pasta sauce: First, finely chop the onion and garlic (do this in the last 5 minutes of the eggplant baking time). Then add them to a large pre-heated skillet over medium heat and allow them to saute for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and spices and stir well to combine before adding the peeled plum tomatoes (the sauce included). Mash the tomatoes lightly with your spoon and stir well. At this point, if wanted, you can add some of the pasta water – start with 1-2 Tbsp and add more until you achieve the consistency you like. Assemble: Finally, add the cooked eggplant and pasta to the tomato mix. Stir well to incorporate then give it a quick taste and adjust any of the seasonings if needed. Serve the eggplant pasta, topped with some fresh basil and grated cheese. Enjoy it by itself (this dish is a complete meal!) or serve it with a simple side salad and some garlic bread. If you try this pasta alla Norma recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
